Splitting Fairways Episode 3: Why Do Some Pro Golfers Get a Pass?

Professional golf is an emotional game. Even the best players lose their tempers. Clubs get slammed. Equipment gets thrown. Frustration boils over.

What happens next often depends on who did it.

That question serves as the foundation for this week’s episode of Splitting Fairways, the THP podcast where Ryan “Hawk” and Jeremy “Lord Tox” tackle the debates golfers are already having every day. Rather than deciding who’s right, the show explores both sides of golf’s most divisive topics.

This week, the conversation centers on one simple question: Are professional golfers judged by their actions, or by their reputation?

Using recent examples involving Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann and Tiger Woods, Hawk argues that certain stars receive far more grace from fans and the media than others. Tox counters that reputation is earned and context should influence how we view these moments.

Along the way, the discussion explores media narratives, fan perception and whether the same incident would generate a very different reaction if another player’s name were attached to it.

After listening, we want to hear from you. Do some golfers get a pass…or are reputations earned?

Go to discussion...

Social Media Director and Staff Writer Ryan Hawk lives in Northwestern Illinois. He's been a writer for The Hackers Paradise since 2011, and has been part of several THP Experiences.